Quarantine tank question

[Gzfrank]

Hey folks,

Do you constantly keep a quarantine tank running or set it up before a new purchase then tear it down?

Honesty, I haven’t personally set up a separate tank but after reading a few horrible stories today, zero chance I will risk my tank. I’ll have a spare 10 gallon tank after I build my new sump in the next few days.

 

[Kryptonian]

I breakdown between uses. Just need a new bottle of bac and a new ammonia alert badge when a new fish is on the way. I also have A LOT of marinepure bio blocks in my sump. When I setup QT, I normally grab 2-3 and add to the qt. After qt, I just toss 'em.

 

[lagatbezan]

I breakdown between uses. Just need a new bottle of bac and a new ammonia alert badge when a new fish is on the way.

Same here.

 

[Dom]

Up and running. Never know when you will need it at a moment's notice.

 

[Redfoxtang]

I leave my QT running all the time. Never know when I will splurge and buy a random fish I probably don’t need!

 

[JCTReefer]

Same here.

Same here. Break down, sterilize, ready for next round. Bottle bacteria on hand, extra sponges to seed. Usually use Biospira. Cycled in a day.

 

[rwreef]

I breakdown and clean throughly between uses. I always keep a sponge filer cycled in my main dt

 

[Gzfrank]

I was thinking about keeping a few media bags of sand, and live rocks in my sump to quickly set of a Q tank. I would simply add the sand, rock and water from my main. After, I could let it all dry out for a few weeks, then back into the sump. Any issues?

 

[BlennyTime]

It depends for me how frequently I’m buying something. If I’m regularly adding stuff I keep it running, otherwise break it down until needed.

 

[Idoc]

Break down and setup a few days before an expected purchase. I use bottled bacteria and an ammonia alert badge when setting up again. I've never had an issue with ammonia present.

 

[JCTReefer]

I was thinking about keeping a few media bags of sand, and live rocks in my sump to quickly set of a Q tank. I would simply add the sand, rock and water from my main. After, I could let it all dry out for a few weeks, then back into the sump. Any issues?

Is this just going to be an observation only type Qt set up? If so you could definitely do some rock and sand. However if you plan to prophylactically treat with meds, Id skip the rock and sand. Meds would be difficult to administer with rock and substrate. I’ve found a small Pyrex dish full of sand such as fiji pink doesn’t absorb meds like copper if you are planning on quarantining a sand burrowing fish such as some Wrasses. I would not add any rock or sand back to your display tanks sump that’s been used for Qt purposes. Thats just me though!

 

[Gzfrank]

Is this just going to be an observation only type Qt set up? If so you could definitely do some rock and sand. However if you plan to prophylactically treat with meds, Id skip the rock and sand. Meds would be difficult to administer with rock and substrate. I’ve found a small Pyrex dish full of sand such as fiji pink doesn’t absorb meds like copper, if you are planning on quarantining a sand burrowing fish such as some Wrasses. I would not add any rock or sand back to your display tanks sump that’s been used for Qt purposes. Thats just me though!

That makes a lot of sense. Would it be ok to observe first, then treat if needed? Or just go for treating right away?

 

[JCTReefer]

That makes a lot of sense. Would it be ok to observe first, then treat if needed? Or just go for treating right away?

It’s up to you if you want to treat right away.
I personally treat every fish with meds. Some don’t. Everyone’s mileage will vary. I’m more of the ich and velvet eradication type than a cross my fingers and hope they don’t show up type. Ich can be managed in a lot of cases with certain fish, but velvet is something you definitely don’t want in your display. It can wipe out a tank overnight in some cases. You can for sure observe first and treat if needed. The only bad part about that is some fish may show no outward symptoms of disease. And then a few months later something shows up on a more sensitive type fish. You take a tang from the genus Acanthurus. They are a must quarantine genus! And absolutely all other fish being kept with this genus must be quarantined. They have and extremely thin slime coat and are highly susceptible to disease. The good thing about the small quarters of a Qt tank is diseases are more likely to show up in there. If you do need to treat, be prepared to pull the rock and sand. The last 10 batches of fish I quarantined using this method. A Hanna copper checker is a great tool to have if you decide to go the medication route.
I use two quarantine tanks identical to each other. I’m fond of the transfer after 2 weeks of therapeutic Copper route. If followed this method to a T with good success.

My Current QT Process

UPDATE, 10/9/22: For those looking for quarantine information, our current process is kept updated on the first page of this thread (post any questions at the end of the thread). https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/current-quarantine-protocol.825055/ Thanks, Jay Hemdal I am frequently...

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